Josiah ashenfelder



No. 93,945. I PUBMED-AUG. 24, 1869.

ASHENPELDBR. TRUGK PoR STREET GARS.

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A Me/I a v jamon sine anni @Wine Letters Patent No. 93,945, dated ugust `24, 1869.'

jmpncvnn TRUCK ron STREET-cons The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it 'ma/y cneem Be it known that'I, JsIAH yAsnnnrnnnnn, of the city of Philadelphia, in the 'county of Ihiladelpbia, in the State of Pennsylvania., have invented a new and useful Improvement in Modes of Connecting Cars to Trucks g and I do' hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makinga part 0f this specification, in which the figure is aside-elevation view of the truck, showing the device by means of which the car is suspended to said truck.

' -The nature of my invention consists in the combination of certain mechanical devices, by means of which an easy-riding car is obtained, and which, in the mean time, will prevent it from bending down at the end, as is generally the case with cars and trucks ofthe generalv construction now commonly in use.

B A represents the bottom ofthe car, resting on springs 'C is the truss-band or piece.

H, the bearing-miler piece, made'of wood or metal, at will. t

At both ends the truss O O is curved up and prolonged, as shown in E E are dranghtirous or pieces, curving down, and

lower than ends F F of thetruss 0, and so that ver` tical bolts I I mayeonnect the bottom-A 'of the ce.

with the pieces E E and 11 F. Y

VIhe holes in E E and F F, through which bolts I I pass, must be large enough to allow ends F F to slide freely up and down bolts I and I, and also to allow free play `to said bolts in pieces E E.

D D are the car-boxes, made in the usual shape, but held firmly in a permanent position, not only byV means of side-bolts, but also by being. caught between the bearing-piece H and the truss C 6l.

B B are the usual India-rubber springs. They are made in the usual shape, though longer than when placed on top of the car-boxes, and they are set outas may be desired, and the nearer the ends the rest,-

ing or bearing-points will thus be, and the lessthe car will bend at its ends, as is the case with the common construction in use.

Again, the mode of placing the India-.rubber springs outside of the boxes, and of rendering the said carboxes permanent, will allow, inthe constructien ofthe truck, to have the axles of the wheels much nearer than ever before, which-will permit to run them on curves of a smaller radius, a great desidcratuln on some sharp turnings and narrow streets.

Dispensing with pedestal, and setting the boxes D D permanent, as above mentioned, will also be a great economy in metal and wearing out, and the boxeswill last much'longer.

In their permanent positions, the boxes will also form truss with the truss-band G C, and Ahelp towanl the compaotncss of the whole device and'construction.

The way of setting VIndia-rubber springs B B, and holding them in proper' place, may be by means oi' rings or thmbles, respectively fastened to pieces H- and A, and into which both lower and upper ends of springs B B would be countersunk, or by simply running'in a small bolt or pi, vertically through the centres of said springs; in fact, allthat .isnecessary v being to maintain th'em in the vertical position, as they have no draught or lateral vibratory motion to bear or fear.

' The other parts of my drawings not described in this specification, such 'as wheel, axle, brakes, 85o., are devices generally used on trucks and cars, and on which I consequently-'day no claim.

I do not claim a new mode of suspending cars from the truck by means of the combination of springs, chains, 85g., as already known or patented; nor do I lay claim, separately, on any novelty in the sundry parts of my machinery and combination.

I simply claim an improvement on the usual mode of connecting cars to trucks, and the usual construction of trucks; and as I .am not aware that the springs D D, made of the material and shape commonly used on ear-trucks, have ever been displaced from the top of the car-boxes D D to any-desired distance outside' of said boxes, without their being combined with clab- -orate reversed pedestals, chains, joints, and springjoints, plate-springs, 85o., as in the mean time my combination of the boxes, truss, bearing-rail, and

. draught-pieces, is vthe very expression of simplicity of construction, and obviously answer every purpose heretofore proposed or looked for in giving an easy-riding ear, which can ride on shorter radii curves, and bend no longer at the ends. I

Having thus described my invention, and shown' its purpose and many advantages,

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Iat i ent of the United States, is-

1. The peculiar combination of truss-baud or piece C C F with draught-pieces EE .and bolts I I, when constructed inthe manner and for the purpose above set forth and described.

2. The combination of pieces E E, truss-band C 0 i E, and their bolts I I, cer-boxes D D, 85o., when the.

F, bolts I I, with bearing-pieoe H, :md its perma.- whole is constructed and :munged in the manner and nent ear-boxes D D, :md springs B B, when the for the purpose above set fort-h and described.

Whole is combined, constructed, and operated in the J OSIAH ASHENFELDER. manner and for the purpose above set fortlrand described. Witnesses:

3. The combination of bottom-A of car with springs SAML. B. YUKER,

B B, truss-piece 0.,]and bearing H, draught-pieces E LUTHER B. MASON. 

